Window cleaning apparatus



Feb. 25, 1969 c. H. CALDWELL 3,428,990

WINDOW CLEANING APPARATUS Filed July 5. 1968 IIIIII'II'IIII'IIIIIM I I!!! IIIIIIII III United States Patent 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A window cleaning apparatus comprising a sponge mounted on a back plate and a belt having a pair of ends detachably connected to a link which is mounted on a longitudinal cross member that is detachably secured to the back plate. The link is formed by a pair of interconnected posts each having a portion which is of a reduced diameter to be received in notches or cutouts formed in each of the ends of the belt to form a detachable connection. The longitudinal cross member may be spaceable from the back plate to provide space to releasably afiix a paper towel.

This invention relates to a new and improved window cleaning apparatus. It is particularly directed towards such an apparatus for cleaning the outside of windows from the inside.

It is generally desirable in a window cleaning device to have it of light weight, and easy to assemble and use. One particular problem in cleaning of double-hung paneled windows is the difliculty involved in cleaning the area adjacent to cross rails and moving conventional apparatus over the cross rails.

While it is a general object of this invention to provide a new and improved window cleaning apparatus, it is a particular object to provide such a Window cleaning apparatus which is light in weight, easy to assemble and use and is especially useful in and overcomes the problems encountered in cleaning double-hung windows having a plurality of panels and cross rails.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such an apparatus which is both easy and economical to manufacture and use.

In achieving these objects a window cleaning apparatus is provided, in accordance with the present invention, which comprises an applicator including a back plate with a sponge and with a longitudinal member afiixed thereto. The longitudinal member is provided with a compensating link mounted thereon and extending outwardly therefrom and a belt for releasably attaching to the link is provided. By manipulation of the belt from the inside, the applicator can easily clean the outside of a window and move adjacent to and over cross bars.

The organization and manner of operation of the invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the follo wing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in the several figures of which like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which an exemplification of the invention is illustrated.

On the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial illustration of a window cleaning apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention, shown in use during the cleaning of a window;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the cleaning apparatus of FIG. 1 with parts broken away to show interior construction;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the cleaning apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 as seen from the line III-III in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of part of the cleaning 3,4283% Patented Feb. 25, 1969 "ice apparatus of FIGS. 1-3 as seen from the line IVIV in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of another part of the cleaning apparatus of FIGS. 1-3.

On the drawing:

Refenring to FIG. 1 there is depicted a window cleaning apparatus, generally indicated by the numeral 10, which is shown in use. The apparatus 10 comprises an applicator 11 and a belt 12. In use, the applicator 11 is on the outer surface of a window pane to be cleaned, such as the window pane 13, and the belt 12 extends from the applicator 11 over the upper and lower cross members 14a and 14b of the window sash 14. The apparatus 10 thus vertically encircles the sash 14 with the applicator 11 on the outer surface and with the belt 12 extending about the inner surface for manipulation by the user. In the general manner of use, the apparatus 10 of the present invention is somewhat similar to the window cleaning device described in US. Letters Patent No. 2,028,738 which issued on J an. 28, 1936 to the present inventor.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the applicator 11, and the attachment between the belt 12 and the applicator 11 are depicted. The applicator 11 comprises a thin flat back plate 15 of a generally rectangular shape. Releasably affixed to the bottom of the back plate 15 is a generally rectangular sponge 16 which is preferably of the plastic sponge type. The sponge 16 has a greater transverse dimension than the back plate 15 and is aflixed to extend beyond both longitudinal edges 15 of the back plate 15. The sponge 16 defines the working surface of the applicator 11 and the extensions beyond the longitudinal edges provide greater efiiciency in cleaning adjacent to the horizontal cross rails and between the overlap of the upper and lower sashes.

The sponge 16 is releasably attached to the back plate 15 by means of a pair of grasping members 15a, as best shown in FIG. 3. The member 15a comprises a short column 15a depending from the underside of the back plate 15 and a wide spreading head 15a". The sponge 16 has two holes formed therethrough of the approximate diameter of the columns 15a and situated so as to receive the columns 15a when attached to the back plate 15. The sponge 16 being flexible can easily be made to fit over the heads 15a" and to be captivated between the heads 15a" and the plate 15. It should be noted that the members 15a depend for a distance less than the thickness of the sponge 16 and are situated away from the edges of the back plate 15. This is done so that the members 15a do not interfere with the paper toweling 19 nor with the cleaning operation when the window apparatus is in use.

At each transverse edge 15" of the back plate 15 is centrally affixed an upstanding mounting flange 17 for releasably supporting and holding a longitudinal member 18. The member 18 extends along the longitudinal center line of the back plate 15 and serves to clamp paper toweling or the like, such as the paper towel sheet 19, against the back plate 15. The applicator 11 is preferably sized to accommodate conventional sized paper toweling sheets. The paper towel 19 is secured to the applicator 11 by wrapping it about the plate 15 and sponge 16 and overlapping the edge of the towel under the member 18.

The longitudinal member 18 also serves to support a compensator link generally indicated by the numeral 20. The link 20 comprises two generally cylindrical posts 21, 21 mounted normal to and on either side of the center of the longitudinal member 18. The posts 21, 21 each rise from the member 10 in two sections, a first section 21a adjacent the upper surface of the member 18 and extending upward therefrom for a first distance, and a second cylindrical section 21b of decreased diameter which extends co-axially from the section 21a for a second distance. At the upper end of the section 21b, spanning both sections, is a restraining member 22. The member 22 is of a generally rectangular shape and is aflixed to the two posts 21 by having the sections 21b of the posts 21 extend through two circular holes formed through the member 22.

The base of posts 21 is aflixed to the longitudinal member 18 in a similar manner as shown at 210 in FIG. 3. In this case, a smaller diameter extension of the sections 21a passes through similarly sized holes formed in the upper planar section 18a of the member 18 and is spread thereunder. The member 18, besides the planar upper section 18a includes two side walls 18b extending downward at a right angle to the section 18a along its longitudinal edges to form a generally inverted U-shaped, in crosssection, member. When the member 18 is in its closed or operating position, as depicted, the walls 18b extend downward to approximately the back plate 15 so as to engage and hold both frictionally while clamping the paper toweling 19 therebetween. The walls 18b extend for somewhat less than the length of the upper section 18a and for somewhat less than the distance between the mounting flanges 17.

The section 18a of the longitudinal member 18 extends for a greater distance than that between the upstanding flanges 17 so as to have its ends 118a and 118a enter slots formed in each flange 17. As best shown in FIG. 4, each of the flanges 17 is slotted in the form of a cross with a first slot 17a parallel to the plane of the back plate 15 for receiving the projecting end 1180 or 118a during use, and a second slot 17b for receiving the ends 118a or 118b during storage or shipment. The provision of this sec ond slot, which may either be open at the top, as shown, or not, enables the apparatus to be compactly packaged, shipped and stored with the longitudinal member fitted sideways across the back plate with the link resting above and parallel to the back plate 15 to form a compact package.

The longitudinal member 18 is maintained in the flanges 17 by the interaction of the edges of the walls 18b and the flanges 17, and also by an upstanding portion or ridge 18c on the upper surface of the end 118a, forming with the slot 17a a detent for the member 18. The end 118a extends for an additional length from the edge end of walls 18b so as to allow the detented end 118a to move clear of the flange 17 for removal of the member 18. During reassembly, the end 118a is inserted in either of the identical flanges 17 and advanced therein. The other end 118a is then moved in front of the slot 17a and the member 18 is slid along the longitudinal center line of the back plate 15 until the raised portion 18c passes through the slot 17a (or 17b in storage). After this occurs the member 18 is releasably aflixed to the flange 17.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the belt 12 has attaching ends 12a affixed to the main portion of the belt 12 by conventional means such as the depicted staple 12b. The attaching ends 12a are preferably constructed of a flexible but sufficiently strong plastic material and define two cutout portions 120 for receiving the cylindrical sections 21b of the posts 21 of the link 20. The cutouts 120 are each canted from the opening 120' to the portion 120" for receiving the posts 21 to enable the ends 12 to better hold the posts 21. The passageway between the opening 120' and the portion 12c" is smaller than the diameter at the sections 21b that pass therethrough. This means that the ends 12a flex or resiliently deform slightly as they assume the position depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3 and that they thus are releasably affixed to the link 20 more securely.

The ends 12 are affixed by inserting them sideways between the two posts 21 and then turning them 90 so that the posts 21 move through the opening 20', and into the portions 120" of the cutout 120. The ends 12a are kept a sufiicient distance away from the back plate 15 and sponge 16 by the increased diameter sections 21a to maintain proper pressure of the sponge against the pane to be cleaned.

The back plate 15, the flanges 17, the longitudinal member 18 and the link 21 are constructed of lightweight material and are preferably constructed of hard plastic, while the belt 12 is constructed of flexible material such as soft plastic.

The movement of the applicator 11, generated by manipulation of the belt 12 by the user, as depicted in FIG. 1, produces a cleansing action and allows the portions of the sponge 16 and towel 19 extending beyond the back plate 15 to flex into and along the edges of the pane 13 adjacent to the cross bars 14a and 14b of the sash 14. The pivotal or rock and roll movement of the applicator 11 that results from the design of the cooperating link 20 and the belt 12 attached thereto, allows the applicator 11 to be easily moved up to and over any cross bars, as in paneled double-hung windows.

As is now apparent a new and improved window cleaning apparatus has been described which is easy to manufacture and use, and is compact to ship or store. The apparatus is especially useful in cleaning windows having cross bars as it can be easily manipulated against the glass panes adjacent to and over them.

It will be understood that various modifications may be suggested by the embodiment disclosed, but I desire to claim within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as come within the scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A window cleaning apparatus comprising an applicator including:

a generally planar back plate having a generally rectangular shape,

a sponge having a generally rectangular shape and hav ing a transverse dimension greater than said back plate,

said sponge being aflixed to said back plate so as to be adjacent to said plate and to extend beyond the longitudinal edges of said back plate,

a longitudinal cross member extending between two opposite edges of said back plate and spaceable therefrom,

said longitudinal cross member being releasably aflixed to the back plate and being adapted to releasably affix a paper towel about said applicator,

a link mounted on said longitudinal member and extending outwardly therefrom, and

a belt having a pair of ends, each of said ends being releasably connected to said link,

whereby said applicator may be manipulated about the outer surface of a window by an operator on the inside of the window.

2. A window cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 in which said longitudinal cross member is mounted between two upstanding flanges which are rigidly affixed to said back plate and have slots formed therein for receiving projecting sections of said longitudinal cross member.

3. A window cleaning apparatus according to claim 2 in which said flanges define a pair of intercepting slots forming a cross and are adapted to receive and hold said longitudinal member in two different positions, an operating position in which said link is upstanding from said back plate and a storage position in which said link is adjacent and parallel to said back plate.

4. A window cleaning apparatus according to claim 2 in which said longitudinal member includes a planar rectangularly shaped section having end portions receivable in the slots provided in the flanges, said longitudinal member includes two rectangular walls depending from each longitudinal edge of said section, said walls and said section forming a unitary structure having an inverted U-shape cross-section, said walls depending approximately to said back plate when said longitudinal member is aflixed in said slots, said walls having a length less than the distance between said flanges, and said section including a raised portion on one of said end portions, said raised portion coactable with an edge of one of said slots to form a detent for releasably aflixing the longitudinal member to said back plate.

5. A window cleaning apparatus according to claim 4 in which said sponge is ofthe plastic type, said backing plate and longitudinal member are of hard plastic and said belt is of flexible plastic.

6. A window cleaner apparatus comprising an applicator including:

a back plate,

a sponge aflixed to the back plate,

a longitudinal member releasably affixed to the back plate,

a link mounted on said longitudinal member and extending outwardly therefrom, said link comprising two posts mounted normal to and on either side of the center of said longitudinal member, each of said posts extending upwardly from said longitudinal member in a first section of a first diameter adjacent to said longitudinal member and a second section of decreased diameter, said second sections being outwardly disposed from said first sections, and a restraining member being mounted between said two posts, and

a belt having a pair of ends, each of said ends being releasably connected to said link,

whereby said applicator may be manipulated about the outer surface of a window by an operator on the inside of the window.

7. A window cleaning apparatus according to claim 6 inwhich said belt is a continuous unitary member, said pair of ends each having two cutouts sized to fit on and releasably attached to said second sections of the posts, said cutouts being of a size to prevent attachment to the first sections of said posts, and said ends being capable of sliding along said second sections of said posts between said restraining member and said first sections so that by controlling the pressures applied to each of the ends of said belt, the applicator may be pivoted during a cleaning operation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,527,487 2/1925 Moncrieif 15250.l1 2,850,754 9/1958 Davis 15-244 X 1,487,175 3/1924 Mitzenmacher 15-250.14 3,355,760 12/1967 Thomsen et a1. 15246 FOREIGN PATENTS 561,912 5/1957 Italy.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

LEON C. MACHLIN, Assistant Examiner. 

